Cheap and well cared for meat? Can we have it all?

SnowyOwl_2

I can't quite reconcile myself to the fact that veal calves are so young, just little babies really which are surplus to requirements. They are almost exclusively male - the females tend to graduate to the milk herd, and of course produce more babies to ensure a continuous supply of milk.

What we don't know doesn't hurt us - or more specifically what we the public don't know doesn't hurt the manufacturers, processers and retailers. This applies to so much of what we buy - everything from jewellery to chocolate to meat to the shoes & clothes we wear. There are immoral and unethical practices behind a lot of what is for sale in our shops.

Hugh Fearnly-Whatshisname is only scratching the surface of the bigger problem IMHO.

~Chameleon~

SnowyOwl wrote: »

Hugh Fearnly-Whatshisname is only scratching the surface of the bigger problem IMHO.

I totally agree and have just been reading this site http://www.factoryfarming.org.uk/whatis.html#

It might well be a little extremist, but it certainly echoes a lot of what I've been seeing on various programmes I've watched the last few days. There's so much going on out there that were not even aware of, or maybe we just don't want to be as some of it is just too horrendous to contemplate (

Penelope_Penguin

SnowyOwl wrote: »

I can't quite reconcile myself to the fact that veal calves are so young, just little babies really which are surplus to requirements. They are almost exclusively male - the females tend to graduate to the milk herd, and of course produce more babies to ensure a continuous supply of milk.

I'd agree with this. However, if you saw C4's excellent documentary Lie of the Land by Molly Dineen (repeated this week, so may still be available online) the alternative for these unwanted animals is far worse - both for them and the farmers who've reared them. They're an unwanted by-product of our desire for cheap meat.

I'd rather they had a good, albeit short life, and are then turned into meat (veal) than be shot at an even earlier age and become dog food, or wasted completely.

There are several thought-provoking threads atm. I'm struggling to reconcile *Living on £4000 a year* with *Hugh's chicken run*.

Penny. x

katiep_2

I read an article yesterday about where to buy ethical meat although typically I can't find it now. Anyway, it addressed the point about british veal calves dying young. Animals (ALL animals) don't have a concept of longevity of life. They live each day as it comes. If you are comfortable with the idea of killing animals for meat, it doesn't matter when in their life they are killed.

With regards to game, as far as welfare goes, it is the most ethical meat available. It is in essence wild animals/birds that are hunted.

JoeyEmma

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

There are several thought-provoking threads atm. I'm struggling to reconcile *Living on £4000 a year* with *Hugh's chicken run*.

Penny. x

I have to agree with you. Last night, when Tesco said the free range was selling so well, they were having to reduce the battery chickens, I was thinking about what I would do. If I could get one of the infamous 50p reduced chickens, or a free range one for £5, what would I do?

Pandora123_2

katiep wrote: »

I read an article yesterday about where to buy ethical meat although typically I can't find it now. Anyway, it addressed the point about british veal calves dying young. Animals (ALL animals) don't have a concept of longevity of life. They live each day as it comes. If you are comfortable with the idea of killing animals for meat, it doesn't matter when in their life they are killed.

With regards to game, as far as welfare goes, it is the most ethical meat available. It is in essence wild animals/birds that are hunted.

I don't agree that animals have no concept of longevity of life. How does anyone know that is true without getting inside the head of an animal? Animals have family units, communicate, feel sadness, loneliness, grieve the loss of their companions. They are a lot more like us than most people would like to believe (or are comfortable believing).

As for 'game', some is farmed... some is even kept in battery conditions:

Cramped, filthy and featherless - the 'battery' game birds sold as delicacy

Pandora123_2

JoeyEmma wrote: »

I have to agree with you. Last night, when Tesco said the free range was selling so well, they were having to reduce the battery chickens, I was thinking about what I would do. If I could get one of the infamous 50p reduced chickens, or a free range one for £5, what would I do?

I guess it comes down to how much it really bothers you. If you are buying the battery chicken for 50p, and pushing the thoughts of cruelty out of your mind whilst doing so, then you are sure to feel bad about it later. Humans have a choice when it comes to what kind of foods we eat. We can choose to make a meal out of a 50p battery chicken, a £5 free range chicken, or a 38p bag of split green peas!

I don't eat meat, but I have three cats. I buy only organic food for them, and I occasionally buy them free range / organic fresh chicken as a treat if it's marked down. I don't even look at the battery chicken, not even when it's marked down to 50p!

:A

foreign_correspondent

rabbit has a lovely life and is cheapor free! Also sheep cannot be reared intenively as far as I know, so get to live on hillsides. Also, perhaps the answer is to buy cheaper cuts of free range/organic meat (eg. shin beef) than to demand cheap fillet steak, from intensively reared animals.

comping_cat

I think Snowy has hit the nail on the head - Hugh highlighting chicken is only the start of a massive problem, and not just with animal welfare.

I said yesterday on the daily thread, how i would love to buy free range/organic etc, but when you are on a very tight budget, and want to feed your children as well as you can - you are in a very difficult position. I do buy free range/organic when its reduced but there are times when i need something for sunday lunch, so we have the cheaper meats.

Also on the budget i am on, i regularly shop at Primark, Asda, Tesco etc and pick up the cheap clothes, even though i know that the cheaper the clothes, the chances are that they had been made in a sweat shop somewhere where women and children are being exploited, but what can i do?

I dont smoke, go out maybe once or twice a year, rarely have a takeaway (again, once or twice a year) and drink very little, so my money does not go on wasteful things. We are saving for a holiday, but last year we didnt go anywhere, and the way it is looking at the moment, we wont be going anywhere this year, ive also cut back on all my bills as much as i can - so i know i dont waste my money, its just that i dont earn much so i have to make the little i have go as far as it can.

I dont have the luxury of having a conscience, although one day i hope that i will be able to.

lil_me

I buy from a farm shop butchers, I see the cows and chickens wandering around when I go there. He buys lamb from a local farm which also is treated well. His prices, some are cheaper than the likes of Tesco etc, the difference is the quality. I don't mind using a bit less because what I get has so much flavour. It's isn't organic but is free range & I trust he treats them well. Better than another local butcher who lies about where his meats & other products come from. I'll try to find the price list later & post some examples.